Connecting a Hopper 3 to a New Network

[LindaH]

I ordered a Visible phone and am trying to get it and the Hopper connected, but haven't been successful.

Here's what I tried:

1. Turned on Visible phone's hotspot

2. Went to Menu>Settings>Internet

3. Then Wireless Setup>Wi-Fi Setup Wizard

The next screen says "No wireless networks were found."  Selecting the "Rescan" button doesn't do anything...this on the 2nd try.  On the first try, the "Wireless Network" did start a scan, but it never found the phone.

Now what?

[Darryl&Rita]

Use your old phone, laptop, or tablet to make sure the new phone is transmitting?

[LindaH]

Oh, it's transmitting.  I used it as a hotspot all morning to get my computer online.

[Darryl&Rita]

2 hours ago, LindaH said:

Oh, it's transmitting.  I used it as a hotspot all morning to get my computer online.

Ok, shooting in the dark here.

Edit for additional question: Can you take the Hopper closer to a known WiFi network, or get another hotspot? Even if you don't connect to the network, just to prove your Hopper is scanning WiFi.

Edited October 2, 2020 by Darryl&Rita

[LindaH]

The Hopper is scanning for WiFi.  When I was trying to get the Visible phone recognized, it apparently lost the information on the original WiFi, so I turned on the hotspot of my other phone (the one that was used originally when the Hopper 3 was installed) and used "Reset Network" (I think) and it found that signal and reestablished the link.

[Bill Joyce]

Since Visible can only support one device on its hotspot, you might get one of those under $30 GL.iNET mini travel routers that have been mentioned many times, hook it to Visible and then see if the Hopper sees that wifi. 

[RonandSue]

17 minutes ago, Bill Joyce said:

Since Visible can only support one device on its hotspot, you might get one of those under $30 GL.iNET mini travel routers that have been mentioned many times, hook it to Visible and then see if the Hopper sees that wifi. 

This is what I do, only I use a Asus router. I then run a Cat 6 cable from router to TV so it is hard wired. Visible only see one device. Everything else connects to the router.

[LindaH]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:40 AM, Bill Joyce said:

Since Visible can only support one device on its hotspot, you might get one of those under $30 GL.iNET mini travel routers that have been mentioned many times, hook it to Visible and then see if the Hopper sees that wifi. 

I do have one of the GL.iNET mini travel routers on order through Amazon, but it may not be here until the end of the month!

I don't have anything else connected to the Visible Hotspot when I've tried doing this.

[LindaH]

On 10/2/2020 at 8:01 AM, RonandSue said:

Visible only see one device.

I am aware of this, but when I've tried to connect it to the Hopper 3, I haven't had anything else connected to the Visible phone.

[Zulu]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:40 AM, Bill Joyce said:

Since Visible can only support one device on its hotspot . . .

If you're using your Visible phone for voice as well as data, then buy another Visible plan/phone. Remove the SIM from this phone, buy an 8800 hotspot (sans SIM), and put Visible SIM is the 8800.

Multiple connections, works like a charm.

[LindaH]

On 10/3/2020 at 4:41 PM, Zulu said:

If you're using your Visible phone for voice as well as data, then buy another Visible plan/phone. Remove the SIM from this phone, buy an 8800 hotspot (sans SIM), and put Visible SIM is the 8800.

Multiple connections, works like a charm.

So you're saying that voice and data count as two connections?  If so, then why am I able to use the phone as a hotspot?  

[Tom_M]

On 10/3/2020 at 6:41 PM, Zulu said:

If you're using your Visible phone for voice as well as data, then buy another Visible plan/phone. Remove the SIM from this phone, buy an 8800 hotspot (sans SIM), and put Visible SIM is the 8800.

Multiple connections, works like a charm.

So you are saying buy another phone for $80 and $200 for an 8800 JetPack plus another $25/month rather than a one-time cost of a travel router? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Lou Schneider]

The Visible phone only allows it's hotspot to connect to one device at a time.  So turn off your computer, then cycle the Visible phone's hotspot off and then back on so it clears the computer connection and will accept the Hopper as a new connection.  Repeat the process in reverse when you want to use the laptop. 

Then get the $30 wireless mini travel router mentioned above.  Connect it to the phone as it's single device and use the router's signal to connect the laptop and router.
 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Lou Schneider

[LindaH]

16 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

The Visible phone only allows it's hotspot to connect to one device at a time.  So turn off your computer, then cycle the Visible phone's hotspot off and then back on so it clears the computer connection and will accept the Hopper as a new connection.  Repeat the process in reverse when you want to use the laptop.
 

When I tried this, the computer was OFF.  The hotspot on the phone was also OFF before I turned it on to try and connect it to the Hopper.

16 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

Then get the $30 wireless mini travel router mentioned above.  Connect it to the phone as it's single device and use the router's signal to connect the laptop and router.

I already have one on order.  Don't know when it's going to be here.

[LindaH]

Success, at last!

This morning the Hopper *finally* showed a list of wireless networks (which it hadn't done before).  I found my phone and the Hopper ran through it's setup process.  So now I have the Visible phone connected to the Hopper!

[Darryl&Rita]

Yay, take that as a victory. You're the resident expert on Visible and Hopper connections.

[LindaH]

19 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Yay, take that as a victory. You're the resident expert on Visible and Hopper connections.

Yea, except this morning I had to change the Hopper back to my other phone since my computer wouldn't connect to the Visible phone!  That problem should be solved once I get the travel router I've ordered.  Hopefully.